A Reunion of Sorts ((Lovefool plot people))

[Clay Daniels]

Spitting out of the emerald flames, two large shadows emerged from the fireplace at the Ministry in London. Clay, holding a wide-eyed Madeline tightly in his arms was followed by Dixie who had the privelege of making sure that Dapper did not become to alarmed during the floo process. Clay had remembered reading of terrible tales when witches and wizards attempted to floo with animals. For the most part though, his research had proved animal flooing to be successful, and so he deemed it worth the risk to give it a go with Dapper.

Ducking as they walked under the mantle, Clay turned his head back and forth, taking the scence of witches and wizards hustling to and fro as they made their way through the large room that served as the entrance of London's Ministry of Magic. Rather familiar with the place, Clay let his memories of the surrounding sink back in, as it had been a while since his last visit. London. Home, he thought. Had he been asked before that instant, he might have said Paris was his home, but the mere journey back had instantly placed an ease inside of him which indicated that he truly was home again.

"This way," he said, nodding toward the hall beyond the large fountain. They would first need to travel by lift to the Magical Law Enforcement Department where Clay needed to complete some last minute paperwork, allowing for his transfer to be complete. He was rather relieved when he had received the owl informing him that the department in London was more than willing to accomodate for him to keep his same position for London rather than Paris.

After the group of them arrived to the correct floor by a lift full of many Ministry officials, Clay was quick to complete the necessary forms, leading them on their way out the door. They would apparate to his house, but Clay wanted to be somewhere he could think clearly. Inside with all of the commotion of passerbys, each with a mission of their own, Clay knew his concentration would be hindered at the least. Plus, having not been to the home he had grown up in for a few years now, he needed to concentrate all the more. He wondered if his parents would go on and on again about how they were the ones who always had to come visit him while he was in Paris. It seemed to be a loosing battle when he tried to convince them of the amount of time he was putting in at work. But all of that would be different now though. With Madeline, Clay knew that his time was much more valuable. He had lost so much already, and he despised the thought of loosing even a second more. Smiling softly, he looked down at the one person who had become his world. Then, with a sideways glance at Dixie, Clay grabbed her hand. "Hold on tight," he told Dixie, meaning both to himself and Dapper. "Don't let go of me or Buzzy," he then advised Madeline. Then, Clay closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind.

He imagined the large stone house, lined by a white box of a wooden fence. The boundary was a bit askew, surrounding the vivid green law and keeping out the tall yellowish grass that was overgrown with weeds beyond the fence. Connecting the gate of the fence to the wide, covered porch, was a path lined of multicolred bricks, ranging in hues from deep reds to muddy browns. Clay's mind was filled with the place he had called home for much of his life, and the memories that came along with it made him feel a warmth inside of him. They were happy memories, most of them, and deep down he was happy to be returning. The Daniel's residence, he thought long and hard. I want to go... home.” A loud ‘pop’ was the only thing that remained in the tiny alleyway just beyond the entrance to the Ministry, as Clay, Dixie, Madeline, and Dapper disappeared into darkness.

Reappearing a split-second later, Clay looked up, casting his eyes on the real thing, beyond just his recollection of the place. He smiled happily, his dimples tightly outlining his cheeks. It was a relief, after what seemed to be a long journey away. But he also remembered what the journey had given him. When he had left, he had not known Dixie, or had Dapper. Even greater, he had never forseen the daughter he had now, her arms clinging tightly around his neck as she too took in the sight of the grand house which rested in front of her. “This is it,” he said to Dixie, eager to take them inside. Besides Dapper, Clay would, for the first time, be introducing his parents to Madeline and Dixie. Devon would most likely be there too, but she had already known Dixie. His steps quick, Clay made his way to the door and didn’t bother to knock or ring the bell. “Dad? Mom? Devon? I’m home...” his voiced echoed through the house, breaking through the silence that surrounded them. “Is anybody here. I’ve brought some company... and family too,” he bellowed. Where is everybody?

[Professor Adam Greene]

Adam lay with his hands propped behind his head, his eyes starring up at the ceiling. Underneath him was the comfort of a black leather sofa that had been part of the furniture he and Rae picked out when shopping for his new home. The Greene residence had finally sold and, wanting to remember only portions of his childhood, Adam had gotten rid of almost everything that the house had been filled with: furniture, decorations, and all. Everything was either sold, or given to pawn shops that he knew would be more than willing to take from him. The only thing he kept were the things that belonged to he and Sierra, plus a few boxes of random items that he felt may be useful or simply important. It wasn’t a lot though, which provided much opportunity for himself to start over.

Graduation from Hogwarts was only the beginning of life outside of school for Adam. Living on his own now, he had locked up a poistion at the Ministry, working as an assistant of the assistant of the of the assistant of the Minister of Magic. It was a low position, but he knew he had to start somewhere. Rae was happy for him, as he figured she might be, however if it hadn’t been for her, Adam would have really had nobody to share it with. He was still getting used to the freedom though, and sometimes wished he had more friends beyond Rae. Not that he wasn’t more than happy to see her everyday when she would often come to either visit or stay for a few days, but he was lonely quite a bit.

Sierra had decided to move out. According to her, it was in order to give Adam his privacy. He believed it might have been partially true, but he also knew that Sierra didn’t much like Raelee. Still, she was happy, he knew. Quite happy, he thought, for having been through what she had been through. He had endured the same as well, but Sierra was a lot younger than he. Mature beyond her age though, Adam admired her for what she seemed to go through as if it were nothing at all. Sure, it could have been worse, but Sierra maybe even took it better than he did, Adam thought at times.

Stll staring at the ceiling, Adam’s mind at the time was filled with one thing though. The past month or so outside of Hogwarts was faded in his thoughts, hidden behind the one particular thought that had been lingering since he had encountered an old classmate just days before...

***

Walking just beyond the boundaries of the city of London, Adam had his hands in his pockets, his head down as he thought to himself. Being that his new home was just on the outskirts of the inner city itself, Adam had close access to the nice countryside nearby. It was a nice feature, he concluded. The peaceful nature of the surrounding hillsides brought a sense of tranquility that was able to put Adam’s mind to rest. This was something that came rarely as of late, and so he appreciated its affect. As he approached a tiny village, just a mile or so from the city, he caught the eye of a familiar blonde who seemed to have an agenda of her own. Seeing that she seemed to notice him as well, Adam wouldn’t have bothered approaching if she hadn’t looked as though she was shocked yet pleased to notice his presence. Curiosity getting the best of him, Adam smiled and waved, then approached the girl whom he knew as Devon.

“Nice day, isn’t it,” he said, glancing at the enchanting sky above them. The setting sun had cast glows of pink and orange streaks across the pale blue sky. Eager to make the conversation seem casual, Adam tried to think of what he should say. Instinct kept him quiet though, as he could almost tell that Devon wanted to tell him something instead. He said nothing then, providing the change for her to speak if that was the case.”

“It’s gorgeous,” she said shortly in return. A hint of disappointment crept its way into Adam’s thoughts as he figured he was only imagining that she had something beyond casual conversation to share with him. He smiled again, thinking it silly now to have approached her with such hope. Again thinking of what he might say, Adam pondered a way to tie up their short, yet quaint conversation. But, before he could say anything, she spoke again. “She’s returning, you know...”

The words had to sink in at first, but almost instantly, Adam knew who and what Devon meant in such a short few words. Wondering what all Devon knew of the connection between Dixie and himself, Adam figured that she at least knew they had been friends at one point. Even more though, she surely knew Adam and Dixie were together before Dixie fled to Paris. Not feeling it was important to discuss the details with Devon though, Adam skipped right to the heart of the matter. “How... when... why?” he stammered, trying not to sound too surprised or excited about the information. That was exactly how he felt though and a lot more. A whole wave of emotions crashed over him as his clear mind was far from being clear anymore.

“In three days,” Devon said assuredly. “She’s returning to London with my brother. They’re- or at least he is- staying here for good.” Seeming a little antsy, Devon was quiet as Adam only starred at her with a curious look. It was obvious that his mind was working furiously, trying to make sense of everything. “Just thought you’d care to know,” Devon interrupted his thoughts. “I’ve really got to go though,” she added apologetically. “No time to chat, really.” She titled her head slightly as she then turned and headed in the direction she originally intended.

Adam’s mind, still trying to process what Devon had just told him, raced in circles before he finally snapped out of it and hollered a thank you to Devon who waved in return, still walking away from the place where he stood. Then, before she was out of earshot, he shouted another question her way. “You live around here?” he inquired, seeing Devon stop only briefly to turn and point in the direction behind Adam. “Just up that road, to the left, and down the hill,” she shouted back at him. After he gave another loud thank you, Devon disappeared around the turn of the winding road, leaving Adam to continue to process what he had just been informed of. Dixie was coming back. She was coming back to London in three days. The woman he had fallen so quickly for was returning, and Adam realized he had no clue what to even do about it.

***

He had played the scene over and over again in his head, making sure that he really had heard Devon say what he thought she had. Dixie was coming back. Having plenty of time to contemplate the situation, Adam had still not decided what he should do about it. One thing was for sure, he failed to tell Rae. It would be too hard, he thought. If Rae knew how much he had been thinking about Dixie since hearing that news, she would surely be crushed. Still, he could have sworn she had sensed something though. Constantly commenting and questioning Adam as to why he seemed so distant lately. “I’m not distant,” he would say, “just tired, that’s all. Work has been rough.” Rae could see past the tales though. Adam knew she wasn’t stupid, but he couldn’t dare tell her.

Time was running out though. Adam needed to make a decision. It wouldn’t have been so hard if it didn’t feel like he was choosing between Dixie and Rae all over again. However, if what Devon had said was true, today was the day Dixie would be coming home to London. It seemed most logical that she would be arriving at the Daniel’s house- the house that rested only about a twenty minute walk from where Adam was now laying. He still had yet to make a decision though, weighing in as much as he could. Had Dixie returned to see him? Would she even bother to look him up? Maybe she wanted nothing more than to never see him again. Regardless, Adam couldn’t help but supress the tinge of thought inside of him that insisted he go and speak with her. He had to speak with her. There were so many things he had to tell her. So many questions he wanted to ask her. Most importantly, he wanted her to know that his memories had returned. Every one of them, more real than ever. They had been developing over the entire time after she left, and Adam had told nobody, not even Rae. “I remember some,” he would say when she asked.

Right in the middle of a thought, it was though an invisible hand pulled Adam to his feet. A sudden surge of something (whether it was hope, love, fear, or something totally different, Adam wasn’t sure) brought him to a conclusion. He would see her. He had to see her. There had been enough already that stood between him and the many things he had wished he had the chance to say to Dixie and hear the answers to the questions he had so desperately wanted to know. And with that, Adam quickly grabbed his coat from the rack by the door and he slipped into the chilly afternoon breeze.

The walk passed quicker than Adam could have imagined. Before he even realized it, he could see the outline of the white fence in the distance. He was there. The only question was if Dixie would be there too. Deciding it best to be unseen and unheard, Adam crept quietly along the inside of the treeline, walking until he was close enough to see the house clearly. Nothing stirred, and he tried to make if there were any movements coming from inside the house. The windows cast a glow from the reflection of the sun though, and he was unable to see much more than an empty yard and a great stone house that stood sturdy and still. He watched for a few minutes, hoping to see something... someone... or anything that might hint that this was not all just a dream. It was then that a loud crack startled Adam quite immesely that he fell backward, barely catching himself as he swore under his breath. His heart pounding furiously against the walls of his chest, Adam squinted against the sun’s light to see two figures appear just outside the gate of the house. He was able to identify one male and one female. They each appeared to be holding small children. Then, as the female turned, seeming to be observing her surroundings, Adam first noticed that she was holding a dog, rather than a child, and then he immediately recognized the soft lines of her face that were outlined by her shining brown hair. His breath became trapped in his throat as her name echoed loudly in his mind... Dixie!

Blinking to be sure that his eyes were not fooling him, Adam felt as though he wanted to cry. Tears of joy or sadness, he wasn’t sure, but regardless, his eyes remained dry, but his heart pained. It appeared as though the three of them and the dog were a family of some sort. It was impossible, he concluded, that the child was Dixie’s, but just the mere image of them seemed so family-like that Adam despised the other man. Not even knowing the situation for sure though, he couldn’t help but feel a burst of sadness. Had Dixie forgotten about him already? Just as he had lost his memories in the accident, it pained him to think that Dixie could actually choose to do the same. But the scence before him suggested it, even if in the slightest of ways. Finally, as though he felt there was nothing more to do, Adam began to cry. Just a few tears streaked his pale face, and he wiped them away quickly. He then leaned his back against the tree he was standing beside and slid downward. Down. Down. Down. He went until his bottom collided with the ground and his eyes shut with such despair. It was really over between he and Dixie. He was finally willing to accept that. Thoughts of Rae then flooded his mind, thinking about how much better she deserved. Although he loved her too, she had done nothing but befriend him in the lowest time of his life. Torn in his thoughts, Adam faded into a state of nothingness as he let his mind drift away, sulking in his own pity and remorse.

[Dixie Holden-Greene]

Dixie hated Floo and she hated Apparating. There was a reason why she had never gotten her apparition license and that was because she hated apparating! She hated flooing, too, but not nearly as much as apparating. Flooing just gave her a momentary queasy feeling whereas apparating made her feel sick for hours and hours until she finally slept it off. This Floo trip was amusing, however, with Dapper squirming around in her arms and yipping as the flames had engulfed them. The poor puppy was having too much excitement and he wanted out of Dixie’s arms as soon as possible, it was good that she had a fair hold on him otherwise he might’ve jumped out of her arms and disappeared into the nearest fireplace. After a moment, they arrived at the ministry in London and they stepped out of the fireplace, minding the mantel. Dixie looked to Clay as they stepped onto the flooring of the ministry. She mindlessly followed him, Dap still in her arms now entranced by the sights before them. Dixie could tell that Clay was happy to be home, but she couldn’t say the same. Home held things for her. Bad things. London held Derreck, Mack (although technically she was in Scotland at the moment), and Adam. Though was Adam really such a bad thing? No, of course he wasn’t. Adam was the best thing to ever happen to her, really he was. But she had run from him, she had run away when she said she wouldn’t. That was the thing that Dixie was afraid of. Returning to London, meeting Adam again. She knew she would have to. She knew she would want to.

Holding onto Clay’s hand tight and gripping Dapper even tighter, Dixie prepared herself for the apparition. She closed her eyes and when the familiar feeling in her stomach appeared, Dixie gripped Clay’s hand. Finally, there was another pop and they had appeared outside a house. It was a nice looking house. One that Dixie would have liked to grow up in when she was younger compared to the lofty flat that she had. It had a homey feel to it, something that she was certain made the Daniels’ children feel safe as they grew up. Dixie knew that neither she nor Mack could ever say they felt safe in their home. She took one look at Clay’s face and had to control the smile that threatened to cross hers. He was really happy to be home, and Clay being happy meant Dixie was happy. Clay had steadily become someone she cared about, and although she knew that if he was ever sad or upset – she also knew that Adam meant more to her than Clay, in a different way. Both of them were people she felt really close to. Although, Clay hardly knew anything about her past and Adam knew all (or he did before his accident), she knew that if she had the chance to spend every day with either of them… she would be content. Dixie smiled and followed Clay into the house, getting her chance to look around as he called out for his family. He didn’t call long when Devon bounded down the stairs in a running suit, her blonde hair in a pony tail; “CJ!” She rushed up to her brother and nearly threw her arms around his neck when she spotted Madeline, “Erm. Taken up a baby sitting gig, have you?” Dixie smiled and looked down at Dapper who was starting to get antsy.

“Hey, I’m going to take him out for a bit. Let you two get caught up, it’s nice to see you again, Devon.” Dixie chuckled and set Dapper down before opening the door and stepping outside into the nice warm day. Dapper immediately started to tug at his leash and Dixie looked around, deciding it was safe to let him off it. Besides, it wasn’t like she was going to let him out of her sight. Dixie knelt down and unhooked the leash from his collar and a split second after; Dapper was running around the yard. He barked at the gate and Dixie sighed, pushing it open a bit to let him out before leaning against it – not taking her eyes off him. It was so strange being back in England, though not completely unwelcome. She had missed her home but not as much as she would normally. Paris had been kind to her, she had gotten a steady job and was starting off on her fashion. Then Madeline came and Dixie knew that if Clay was going to leave, she was going to leave as well. Dixie couldn’t see Paris without Clay. She didn’t know what she would do. Dixie looked up a moment, searching for Dapper. “Dap? Dapper!” Dixie’s heart started to panic. Oh, great. Their first day back in London and Dixie was losing Clay’s dog. Dixie hopped over the fence and started in the direction Dapper had been traipsing. She wrung her hands over and over as she looked behind trees for the puppy. “Dapper! Come on, pup, this isn’t funny! Great… I’m talking to a dog as if he will be able to understand me.”

Dixie whimpered nervously as she looked around another tree. “There you are!” She reached and snatched Dapper into her arms, apologies pouring from her lips, “I’m so so sorry, sir, I wasn’t watching him. I—…” Dixie stopped midsentence as she looked up at the man Dapper had attacked with his tongue and paws. She felt her mouth go dry and her heart nearly stop. How was this possible? What were the chances of Adam being here, right here? They had to be very slim. Someone hated her. Dixie hugged Dapper to her, who was wiggling around in her arms and licking her neck, but she hardly noticed. She wondered if she should turn around and run away. But that’d make it twice that she’d run from Adam and besides that – her feet were stuck to the ground. Her eyes never left him. Dixie forgot her surroundings, she forgot she had come back with Clay, she forgot she was holding Dapper, she forgot everything. All that she knew right now was that Adam was there, in front of her, and he… he looked sad. He looked like he was crying. Oh, God. Dixie thought as she slowly remembered to breathe. Her chest moved up and down slowly, but it hurt to take in breaths of air. She knew she was just standing there, looking like a moron but she didn’t know what to do or say. There had to be something. Dapper nipped at her neck now and Dixie let out a quiet shriek, nearly dropping the puppy but catching herself. She decided to let Dapper down before kneeling beside Adam on her knees. Dapper sat in front of her and wagged his tail against the grass, panting with his tongue hanging out of his mouth happily. She smiled softly at the puppy before looking at Adam again.

“I…” This was it, she had to say something. Say something. Anything. What did she want to say? What could she say? What did someone say to a person they left behind? Dixie closed her eyes a moment and then opened them again as a breeze blew by and pushed her hair in front of her face, crossing her line of vision. She tucked her hair behind her ear and fidgeted slightly with the sleeve of her tan jacket. “Adam…” she looked back up at him, her eyes holding so many words but her lips hardly being able to move. She scooped Dapper up in her arms and turned to sit in the puppy’s spot beside Adam, Dapper now in her lap. He lied down and closed his eyes, his head on his paws as Dixie looked to her right. This was the first time she’d seen Adam in three months. Her heart was pounding faster and harder as she looked into his eyes, trying to remember what she had written in her letters. Surely there was something she could say from them. Then, she said the first thing that came to mind; “I’m sorry.” For what she was sorry... she couldn’t specify because there were a million things Dixie Holden was sorry for. She was sorry for leaving him, for never writing to him (or at least never sending him anything she wrote to him), for lying to him, for… a lot of things. “I’m sorry for everything, Adam.” She wiped at a tear and looked down, “I… I just couldn’t do it.”

[Professor Adam Greene]

Adam couldn't begin to explain the logic of his situation. Even if, on the surface, it felt as though he was torn between a choice, Adam knew which choice his heart had been leaning to the entire time. But now though, he wondered if he had been so foolish; so foolish to think that Dixie and himself may someday be together again. Beyond that, just the thought of it made him feel so terrible for Rae. How could he ever explain to her that deep down he always loved Dixie too- even possibly a little more than he loved Rae. It was not fair, and it made Adam feel like a complete waste. How had he convinced himself for so long that everything would work in the end? As he sat there, he realized how quick everything was crashing around him. Even if it was all in theory, it was only a matter of time before the disaster started to play out. Adam knew he couldn't continue to lie to Rae, knowing clearly that, despite the fact that he cared for her dearly, she deserved someone better than himself. He wouldn't let himself drag out the inevitable any longer. And now... well, now he just watched the only glimmer of hope that he had walk through the door in a new life of her own- a life without Adam in it.

So deep in thought, Adam hadn't even noticed the small puppy who had stumbled upon his hiding place underneath one of the many trees in the tree line. As the dog yipped at him playfully, his tongue wetting any surface of skin that he could find, Adam shooed him away gently with his hand, the least of his worries at the time. Then, a voice caught his attention, and Adam was prepared to just shrug it off, not really concerned about the dog anyways. However, once the familiar tone made the connection in his mind, he looked up with wide eyes to see her standing right there in front of him. Shock caused him to freeze as he only starred, his mouth agape and his eyes glued to her face. He managed to move slightly, just enough to shake his head back and forth a few times to show his disbelief. Dixie spoke first, a few meaningless words, and then something concrete as she offered an apology. Adam's body burst with hotness as his emotions went on overload.

It wasn't anger that took over though. It was the tightening in his stomach, and the feeling that he was slowly loosing the ability to breath that controlled his every being. It was a mix of despair and confusion. "I'm sorry too," he said, still in unbelief. "I'm sorry that I thought we could make things right again... sorry that I'm too late... sorry that I even remember. I remember Dixie, I remember everything!" His words echoed with great pain. "I'm sorry that I didn't come after you. I'm sorry that I drove you away. I'm sorry to have put you through so much pain. And... and I'm sorry that I even bothered to hope. I should have known that you'd move on. And it's okay, It's alright that you did. I just... I... I don't even know what to say." Words spilled out of his mouth like vomit, each one trying to communicate to Dixie the mess of thoughts that filled his mind.

Then, he stood, fighting back more tears that lay threatening behind his tired eyes. It didn't even seem worth asking Dixie the many questions that had been the result of her return. While she was gone, he had so many things he wished he could have known from her. But now... now none of that really seemed to matter. I would be easiest if he didn't know. "I should be going," he said quietly, brushing the dried leaves and dirt from his jeans. He opened his mouth again, thinking he should part with at least one friendly comment. After all, he didn't think he would be able to bear seeing Dixie again. Not after this. It would be too painful. "Have a happy life with Daniels," he offered. "I'm sure he's a great guy," he added sincerely. His mouth hung open for a second, unable to let a goodbye escape from his lips. Instead, he turned, closed his eyes, and let his brain go without interruption. The memories all began to flood by, one at a time. The common room, the lake, their first kiss... all of it. Once lost, and then found, he prepared to let it all go again. It would hurt, he knew that, but he didn't know what else to do. So, he stood there, eyes closed for a few seconds, and then finally took a step forward. Slowly, he walked away, the tears finally escaping as he was the one this time who left, not Dixie, but himself. Walking away. Leaving for good.

[Dixie Holden-Greene]

Dixie’s eyes still hadn’t left Adam. They were drinking in his appearance. She had to do everything to control her urge to throw her arms around his neck and hug him tight. It wouldn’t be appropriate. Not right now. Maybe never again. As Adam began to speak, though, her stomach churned. She didn’t know if he was being sarcastic and was on the verge of asking him when he said he remembered. Her breath left her and she closed her eyes, her lips forming the words but nothing coming out. He remembered everything! She was torn. She was so unbelievably torn between being euphoric and being depressed because she was finding out this way. When had he started to remember? What if she had stayed a little bit longer? Would they have returned and could they have picked up from where they left off? Dixie bit her lip and opened her eyes to look at him but he had stood. What was he doing? No! He couldn’t leave! He mustn’t! She felt something tear at her gut at his next words. Have a happy life with Daniels? Dixie blinked back tears as he turned and started to walk away. Without much thought, Dixie took out her wand and pointed it at Dapper, “I’m so sorry, pup. Wingardium Leviosa.” The puppy yelped as he was lifted into the air, Dixie directing him to the Daniels’ house a couple of yards down. He landed in the green, looked confused a moment, and then pranced toward the front door just as a roll of thunder echoed around the street. Dixie looked up at the sky. The sky which had been a deep blue only moments before was now a dark grey. There was another roll of thunder and a crack of lightening before the sky opened up and rain poured down.

She stood, pushing her hair out of her eyes as she tried to see through the curtain of rain that had suddenly appeared. She was getting soaked, but she didn’t care. Adam couldn’t just walk away from her. He had everything all wrong. Dixie took a deep breath, squinting, trying to find him. And when she did, she set off at a run. Her shoes smacking against the stone road as she chased after him. Another crack of lightening illuminated the road ahead and Dixie saw she was getting closer. Finally, she reached him and grabbed his arm, “You’ve got it all wrong, Adam!” She called over the howling wind and rain. Her brown hair was sticking to her face and she tried to tame it as she looked into Adam’s eyes. She tried to focus on the cold of the rain, thinking about how ironic it was that it was during a storm just like this one that Dixie had decided to leave him, but all she could think about was showing Adam what was really happening and not what he thought in the least. “I’m not…. Clay and I…. we aren’t… Merlin’s beard, Adam!” Dixie closed her eyes and lowered her head in thought. “When I left, I had no place to stay. And Devon had… had told me about her brother in Paris and he offered me his place to stay. We were just flatmates, Adam.” Dixie was tripping over herself in her need to explain. She had to let Adam know that her and Clay had never… they weren’t a couple. They weren’t anything more than really good friends and they were just really good friends who hardly knew each other’s histories as well.

“And then when Maddy came, his daughter, he decided to move back here. And Mum’s in the middle of a divorce so I had no place to stay again – and he offered me a place to stay at his parent’s house and that’s why I am here. I…” she had looked up by then, but now she moved her gaze away from him again. “I never moved on, Adam. You were all I thought about, all I dreamt about for the longest time. I wrote you letters, Adam! Every day I was gone, there’s one for every day. I pestered Mack about you. I… you inhabited my every conscious and subconscious thought for the longest time.” The words were just flowing from her lips now, but she needed Adam to know this. All these words had been burning inside of her for the longest time and now here he was and she was able to tell him all of this. Bring on the dramatics, Dixie thought as another roll of thunder issued above them and a gust of wind snapped her jacket to the right. “I thought you wanted me gone, Adam. That’s why I left. I left because everyone was telling me you were holding me back and for a moment I let myself believe it. When you told me to go… I… I couldn’t not believe it. If you thought I was being held back, then what did I have to stay for? You wanted me out of your life, and I wasn’t doing anything good while you were in the hospital wing… I was just baggage. And the easiest way to get rid of unwanted baggage is to send it away.” Dixie stared into Adam’s eyes, tears threatening to pour from hers but it wouldn’t matter anyway – because the rain had already soaked her to the bone.

She let go of Adam’s arms and crossed her arms over her chest, shaking slightly from the now evident cold of the icy rain. She had said what she wanted to say, hadn’t she? What else was there for her to say? I love you. That would work, but she knew she couldn’t tell him that. She knew the words wouldn’t ever form from her lips. So she stood, her chest heaving and her eyes filled with hot tears that she refused to let fall. It was his move. His chance to say something or do something. The ball was in his court now. She had nothing else to say. Nothing else that she could say.

[Devon Darcy Daniels]

She had been up at 5, like always, to go jogging. It had been early enough to catch her father before he went off to work and remind him that Clay was coming home today. There was a small bubble of excitement in her stomach at the thought of her older brother coming home. She had missed him while he was in Paris and although she had visited him once or twice, she knew it would be different seeing him in the house again – even if only for a little while until he found his own place. Devon had reminded her father to be home before 6 that evening so they could all have a nice dinner, one that she was going to cook, and reminded him to remind her mother when she arrived at his work for lunch that she needed to be home around 5 to help Devon with the cooking. Of course, he probably would forget. He was never one to remember little details like that. But that would be alright, because Devon could cook the dinner on her own just as well as she could do with the help of her mum. Anyway, Devon had jogged her usual hour away and then her hour back and returned to the house to start getting ready for the arrival of her darling brother. She had planned on changing, but she was going to clean up first – so she wouldn’t get her clothes dirty after she had just changed out of them. So it was with a ferocity that she had never experienced before that Devon set off to clean the house. She started with the kitchen, using her wand to get rid of all rotting food and enchanting the broom and dust pan to sweep as she cleaned off the counters and did the dishes.

Devon surely did love using magic at home. She loved being of age and she loved being a Graduate. Now she needed to find a job and that was something she wasn’t looking forward to loving. She didn’t know what she wanted to do, but she knew it was something to do with magic. She couldn’t go into a muggle profession simply because she loved doing magic too much. Devon had taken magic for granted while she was at Hogwarts, but now that she could do magic outside of it? Magic seemed suddenly shiny and new. This was why Devon cleaned the whole house doing magic and spent three hours redecorating her room. Her bed, which was circular and red velvet, was now pushed beneath her window and her dresser against the opposite wall. Her CD collection lined the wall to the right of her bed and to the left was her closet area with a butterfly chair, a book case, a night stand, and a reading light. Her laptop was set on top of her dresser along with her make up and hair things. Stickers lined her mirror on her closet door and Christmas type lights were strung around the closet door frame. Devon flicked her wand and they blinked on without faltering. Merlin, she loved this magic thing! She hummed happily, distinguishing the lights before she left her room to go find something else to occupy her time.

She had cleaned the kitchen, the living room, her room, the bathroom, and the small office her father hid himself in when he was busy with too much work. She wasn’t going to touch her parent’s room, nor her brothers’, so she figured she had nothing else to do but to change out of this jogging suit into another, probably. Devon bounded the stairs two at a time and hurried into her room, flicking her wand to make her music turn on as she sifted through her clothes for something to wear. She sang along with the music, turning in circles as she held up a skirt to her and shook her head after looking in the mirror, tossing it over her shoulder. After several articles of clothing were littered on her once cleaned floor, Devon decided to just change out of her blue jogging suit into another. She looked rather good in sporty clothes and it wasn’t like they were going to go out to a fancy restaurant or whatnot. They were just going to have dinner at home with the family. She changed into another jogging suit, pulling her hair up into a pony tail like always, and then cleaned up her clothes via magic. All her unworn jeans and jean skirts hung in her closet or folded themselves into her dresser; all pretty blouses pressed themselves back into the sliding container in her closet next to the one that held her shoes. Magic most definitely rocked.

Leaving the room, the music automatically switching off upon her departure, Devon was about to enter the bathroom when there was a muffled crack and Clay’s voice suddenly rang through the whole house. A smile crossed her face as she headed toward the stairs, stopping momentarily at the mention of family. She looked confused but reasoned the only way to find out would be to go downstairs. She moved down the stairs at a surprising speed, “CJ!” The nickname was one she used often, a bit of payback for him calling her 3D. She didn’t mind. Devon really, secretly, loved the nickname her brother had bestowed upon her. Starting to throw her arms around him, she came up short and stepped back a bit, eyeing the child in his arms. “Erm. Taken up a baby sitting gig, have you?” Of course, she knew that he hadn’t, because if he had then he wouldn’t have brought the child back with him. Maybe it was Dixie’s? At this thought, Devon sent Dixie a smile. She looked happier than she had been the last time they spoke. Dixie smiled back and said she was going to take Dapper out and let them get caught up. “You, too.” Devon replied as Dixie slipped out of the front door. She turned back to Clay, looking at him a moment before looking at the little girl, “Clay… she isn’t… is she…?” Even a full sentence couldn’t form from her lips, but she didn’t know what else to say. The little girl couldn’t be his, could she? “CJ, you’ve got some ‘splaining to do.” Devon raised her eyebrows and led the way into the kitchen, getting a couple of glasses from the cupboard and pouring some juice into them and setting one in front of Clay. “So, begin. Mum and dad won’t be home until around 6, but we both know I can’t wait that long.”

[Professor Adam Greene]

Rain began to fall, Adam welcoming it as a perfect match to his mood. He didn't turn back to look at Dixie, pressing forward as the sky darkened and the water plastered his hair to his head. He was hurting. Bad. It wasn't all Dixie's fault though, and he knew that. Sure, she left to go to Paris, but at the same time, he had used Rae as a way to forget about Dixie. The pain of realizing that was more than Adam was prepared to handle. A hand gripped his arm, and he was spun around to face Dixie as she looked at him with desperate eyes.

Listening to her words, Adam's heart felt as though it were being squeezed by such a great force that it might explode at any moment. He couldn't bear to stand and listen to her speak, knowing that she did nothing more wrong that he did. It seemed as though it should be so simple to fix, but he knew it wasn't. He was only deceiving himself if he believed it would be. Finally, when Dixie stopped, Adam looked at her wet face through the pouring rain. "Dixie, I know I pushed you away," he shouted over the sounds of cracking thunder. Nodding his head, he felt the water soak through beyond his clothes and skin. It was a coldness that overcame his entire body. "I know I was complicated, and, trust me, right after you had left I wanted nothing more than to follow you. I was hoping you might return on your own, but you didn't." His mind floated to Rae. How could he have been so reckless. It wasn't just his own heart that he was putting at risk now. He was playing with other people's lives, and they were the people he cared about most.

"I thought you wouldn't want me to come after you. And... and I made a mistake Dixie. I made a mistake that I don't know if I can fix." He was crying and with the flashes of lightning he was sure Dixie appeared to be crying as well. The rain made it impossible to tell, but he could see the pain in her face. It made him sick to see her that way. Especially, knowing that it was for the most part his fault.

"It's too late Dixie," he said regretfully, shaking his head and unable to even look into her eyes. "Timing wasn't on our side." He thought of what might have happened if his memories would have came just a bit sooner. If he had only been able to remember before Dixie had left, they wouldn't be there now. Not in the rain. Not crying. And not feeling like he had made the biggest mistake of his life.

"I... I... I can't do this, Dix. I just can't." More tears as he worked up enough courage to say what he desperately wished he didn't have to say to Dixie. "I'm with somebody else now." The words felt like a poison that he had breathed into the air around him. "It's not fair to her. It's not fair to you. And... it's all my fault. I shouldn't have been so stubborn. I should have came to Paris to find you when I found out that you were there. I should have... I should have..." He shook his head as Dixie pulled away from him. "Just go. Please. Just go and be happy Dixie. Go and be happy with Clay. I can't make you happy any more Dixie. I'm afraid I've done to much to hurt you. You trusted me, and... and I ruined that trust." Adam turned from Dixie and hung his head. The drops of water beat down heavily on him, numbing him from feeling anything physically. Emotionally, however, he was more than hurting. He was in a pain beyond anything he had ever felt.

[Clay Daniels]

The unmistakable shout of Devon's voice put a smile on Clay's face as she raced downstairs to greet him. "Gosh 3D, you've grown since the last time I saw you," he teased, just before Devon made some teasing comment about himself taking up babysitting. He said nothing right away though, seeing that Dixie was taking the opportunity to leave he and Devon alone with Maddy. Smiling kindly to show his appreciation of her understanding as she left with Dapper, Clay looked back to Devon. Knowing fair well that she would want answers, he was quick to follow her to the kitchen, Madeline still in his arms.

Taking a seat at the kitchen table, Clay put Madeline on the floor with Buzzy. Seeing that she was content, he then took a drink of the juice that Devon had poured for him. The flavor almost instantly brought him back to his childhood. Knowing the recipe quite well, Clay enjoyed the taste of oranges and pineapples mixed with a blend of other ingredients that his mother claimed were secret. She had made the juice for he and his siblings since Clay could remember, and no other fruity combination could be mistaken for that of his mother's tropical blend. Clay sat the glass back on the table, letting out a large sigh before beginning his explanation.

"You remember Steph?" he started, tilting his head a bit to the side as he looked at Devon. "Well, I'm not sure how much I told you about Steph after she left me, as I know I was in pretty bad shape at the time. I never really talked about her much after that." He saw that Devon was thinking hard, still not making the connections though. "Well, after Steph left me," he continued, "I tried putting most of that behind me... until recently. You see, Madeline here..." he pointed to Maddy who was now laying on top of the fluffy pink blanket, looking up at them with her bright eyes. "... Madeline was Steph's daughter that I never knew she had." He paused, figuring that it all had to be making more sense to Devon. "And now, well, she always was, or at least I think she was," he muttered softly under his breath, "now she is my daughter, Devon. Which," he reasoned, "makes her your niece." Clay was sure that Devon would be taken back a bit by the surprising information.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you right away 3D... I just felt that I needed a little bit of time to get used to it myself, you know?" Clay hoped she would understand. Surely she would. After all, he was equally surprised when he found out for himself about Madeline. "Regardless, Madeline will be staying with me now. Stephanie died," he added solemnly, "and she left me as the legal guardian of Maddy." Gazing down at his daughter, Clay was filled with another burst of happiness. It never seemed to fade away, almost as if the time he hadn't got to spend with her made their connection stronger in a way. "Well, go on then" he said, motioning toward Maddy. "She's family now." Clay's thoughts then drifted to his parents, and he wondered how they would take the news. Surely they would be understanding too, he hoped.

[Dixie Holden-Greene]

As Adam spoke, Dixie tried to control the shaking. She always got cold rather easily but this chill wasn’t just because of the rain, this chill was coming from her heart. Every word that Adam spoke made Dixie want to cry more. She had missed him so terribly bad, she had been so torn up over him, and here he was… this wasn’t how she imagined seeing him again for the first time at all. Not like this. Not with tears, at least not with tears of sadness. He made a mistake? Well, that made two of them. She had made a mistake, too. She had left him. She had made the stupid mistake in leaving the one person she’d ever loved. But what mistake could he have made? Before she could even ask him, though, he was talking again. Dixie wasn’t bothering to hold in her tears now. She was in pain, emotionally and that lead to physical pain. She just wanted to throw her arms around his neck and hug him tight, but she couldn’t. She knew she couldn’t. It was too late? Too late? Was he saying he didn’t want to be with her? There was no reason to think he’d jump right back into a relationship… Dixie had left and she had severed ties with him for three months, but now… what was too late? She was already confused as it was and she didn’t need more confusion.

His next words, though… his next words cleared up all confusion.

He was with someone else. He’s with someone else… The words killed her. She felt like her heart was being torn from her chest. She closed her eyes tight and bit her lip, trying to stop the tears that were pouring without worry now. He…. He was with someone else. All this time… Dixie breathed out shakily. She hadn’t moved on and he had. This hurt. This hurt worse than him losing his memories. She knew it was because he hadn’t done that by choice, and moving on…. Moving past her and being with someone else was a choice. A choice he had made. What had she expected? For him to wait for her? Yes. She had. She knew it was selfish, but she had thought he might. She had hoped he would. But now she realized it was all stupid and naïve. She couldn’t hear him. It wasn’t that the storm was too loud, no… it was because she couldn’t hear anything but her own heart in her chest. It was pounding so hard she could feel it. He had moved on. She had a sense that he was telling her to go, but she had gone once and she wasn’t going to give up that easily again. Then, that was when it dawned on her. Adam had turned away from her and Dixie had to think a moment before realizing she would have to move in front of him. She moved in front of him and looked at him, nearly whispering, “Rae. You’re with Rae.”

It wasn’t a question. They both knew that he was with Rae. She didn’t know how she knew, but she felt it. Her stomach knotted even more, it was knotting like the day she had received Mack’s letter about Rae hanging around Adam more and more. Dixie looked at Adam, pain evident in her eyes; “I… I don’t…” she trailed off. The truth was, she didn’t know what to say. What do you tell the person you love when they just told you they were with your best friend? For, Rae was her best friend – even if it wasn’t in the sense that most 18 year old girls had best friends. They stood there, eyeing each other for awhile, and then Dixie had to break the stare and look at her feet, shaking slightly more from the realization that it really was over between them than from the cold. Finally, the words she thought seemed most appropriate fell from her lips as she looked back up at him, more tears falling from her eyes; “I’m happy for you. She’s a good person. She doesn’t desert the people she cares about most.” Now that the words were out of her mouth, now that she felt she had played the appropriate friendly acquaintance – Dixie felt something burn inside her as she looked at Adam. “Does she make you happy?” It was a simple question, a question Dixie thought she deserved an answer to.

[Professor Adam Greene]

In his pain, Adam couldn't move. He had turned away from Dixie, but his feet were standing fast against the ground as though they were strapped in place, nothing he did could move them. Regret filled his every being as he wanted to go back to where it all began and do it over where he felt he had made mistakes. Those thoughts only led to more frustration though, as he realized he was labeling Rae as a mistake. Maybe he wouldn't have allowed himself to let her be the thing that got him through the pain, but he sure as hell wouldn't have considered her a mistake. He was the mistake. It was all his fault, and he stood with the broken pieces as they cut into him as though taunting him for having no clue how to even begin to reassemble them.

Then, through the rain he saw Dixie step in front of him. Her hair was soaked against her head and her face was full of fear and pain- fear and pain that he had caused. It was hard to even make eye contact with her. Adam was weak and he hated himself at that very moment. What made it worse was that Dixie had figured it all out. Of course she would. Who else would Adam have even thought twice about going to once Dixie had left. He wished more than nothing else though that she was wrong. He wished that it would have been someone other than Dixie's best friend who he had found his temporary happiness in. All he could do was shake his head back and forth, silent, as though hoping it would really erase everything he had done.

"No..." he said softly, his voice emanating with a deep pain. "You can't be happy for me. I was wrong. I hurt you Dixie and I was a jerk." The thought of forgiveness entered Adam's mind only briefly before he realized it was only another of his selfish thoughts. Then, Dixie asked him if Rae made him happy. The calmness in her voice almost sickened him. How could she really think that he would believe that she was okay with all of this. It wasn't okay, and it wouldn't be okay no matter what Dixie said. "You made me happy Dixie. You made me happy and then you left. I didn't know what to do, and I made a mistake. Yes, Rae helped me through a dark time in my life, but all I really wanted was you. I lied to myself, pretending that I could be happy with Rae, but I know now that I was never over you Dixie. I was just too afraid to come after you." The rain continued falling and the sound of thunder broke the silence that fell between them. "I'm sorry," he muttered.

[Dixie Holden-Greene]

“No?” Dixie repeated with a hint of confusion in her voice. She couldn’t be happy for him? She listened to him and all the while she knew what he was saying was right. She shouldn’t be happy for him because he hurt her, but Dixie wasn’t like that. She used to be, but things had changed inside her that made her see things a lot differently than she used to. Dixie listened to him, her heart pounding, and tears stinging her eyes again. He wouldn’t look at her and it was driving her insane. Well, not really – because she had been there and done that and she didn’t want to go back there, but…well, you know what I mean. He was talking again, saying she had made him happy and then she left and that he had made a mistake. He said he wasn’t over her like he thought he was, but he was just too afraid to go after her. Then he apologized again. Dixie felt her world crumbling around her, because here Adam was blaming himself for something he shouldn’t be blaming himself for. She wanted to reach out to him and do something to make him look at her, do something to make him see her standing there, and tell him she forgave him (because she did even though she thought there wasn’t anything to forgive him for), but she couldn’t. She had no right. He wasn’t with her. He was with Rae. And Dixie wasn’t like that.

Another clap of thunder sounded over head and Dixie tore her gaze away from Adam momentarily to look up into the sky. As her eyes watched the swirling clouds and felt the tempest, Dixie realized that there wasn’t anything she could do or say. She looked back at him; “Adam, I don’t know what to tell you. I… You deserve happiness. You deserve the best. And if Rae can give you that, then I am happy for you. You… you didn’t do anything wrong. I left you in a situation that no one should ever be left in. I’m sorry, I should’ve stayed. I’m the one who should be sorry, not you. And I am. I’m terribly sorry. I feel like complete crap, Adam, and… and all I can think is to tell you I am sorry.” Dixie closed her eyes a moment and took a step back and away from him, “If… if you feel you’ve made a mistake, I can forgive you for whatever mistake you feel you’ve made. If… if you can forgive me for leaving you. I… I don’t know what I was thinking; all I could think of at the time was how much you kept saying you were holding me back. Your pessimism rubbed off on me and it scared me.” Dixie tucked her sopping wet hair behind her ear and looked down at her feet. She took a deep breath, she didn’t know what else to say. Her words were being thrown out there for him to hear and respond to. But as this moment, all Dixie could hear was her heart.

“What do you want, Adam? What do you want with your life? Forget my feelings and forget Rae’s feelings. I know that’s hard to do, but just try. Think about what you want. Not what will hurt us. I… I know it’s unfair to ask you to…” Dixie trailed off and swallowed a lump in her throat. She wanted to ask him to choose, but she couldn’t do that. She couldn’t just up and ask him to change his life for her if he wanted to. After all, she had left him, she had pushed him into Rae’s arms and that in itself was terrible for her. Dixie crossed her arms and slowly looked back up at him, “If you want me out of your life… just tell me. Tell me now so I can go inside and sit down with a cup of chai tea and try to thaw out. Just… tell me what you want.” Dixie kept her eyes on Adam. It all came down to this. She knew it was putting him on the spot, but she didn’t know what else to do or say. He wasn’t giving her much to go off. She knew what she wanted. She needed to know what he wanted.

[Devon Darcy Daniels]

Devon couldn’t keep her eyes off the little girl, who was now on the floor with her blanket. It was so weird seeing Clay with a toddler, but Devon knew she could get used to it. Clay had always been a good brother and she had not a doubt in her mind that he would make a good father. If she’s his… Devon reminded herself. She took a drink of the juice as Clay did, smiling at the taste. She remembered when she had sworn to her mother that she’d get the recipe for this… secret ingredients and all. She wanted to be able to make it when she was living on her own. Living on her own, oh gee, what a scary thought. She tried to focus on Clay again and just in time, too, because he was asking her if she remembered Steph. How could Devon forget her? She was practically all Clay talked about for awhile, but then that all stopped when she left him and she became a kind of taboo amongst the family. She nodded slightly, still rather confused what Steph had to do with this whole thing (although she had a feeling she shouldn’t have felt so confused) and waited for Clay to continue his anecdote. He pointed to the little girl, calling her Madeline, and Devon looked down at her again. She was as cute as a button, she’d admit, but that didn’t mean Devon wasn’t still confused.

When he finally finished up what he was saying (“Getting to the int’resting bit,” her friend Dinah would say), Devon felt her eyes widen. “What? She’s yours? Clay that’s…” She wasn’t sure exactly what it was but she knew it wasn’t expected. Clay as a father wasn’t too completely terrifying. He was a great older brother and Devon knew he’d make a great dad, but that didn’t mean he was totally prepared for it. If she knew her brother at all, she knew that he hadn’t been prepared at all. Devon looked down at the girl again and looked at her more thoroughly, trying to find pieces of Clay in the toddler’s face. There were small resemblances, but over all it was so strange thinking that Clay had a daughter and that she was an aunt. Devon swallowed a lump in her throat and looked back at her brother, trying not to look too bewildered. “So… so you’re her guardian whether or not you’re her biological father?” Devon was just trying to get her head on straight. This was a lot to comprehend. She shook her head slightly, looking at her brother before looking at Maddy again. When Clay said to go on, Devon bit her lip and knelt down on the floor close to the toddler. Carefully, for Devon had never held a child before, she pulled the little girl into her lap.

The toddler wiggled a bit and flexed her free hand, the other one holding her blanket. Devon looked at her, pushing her hair out of her eyes and then stood with Maddy in her arms. She situated Maddy on her hip and looked at Clay again with a small sigh escaping her, “I have… no idea how Mum and Dad are going to take this, CJ. I mean, they’ll be shocked, gra-…” There was a loud crash of thunder and Maddy let out a cry, causing Devon to hold her tighter to her and rock back and forth slightly, “They’ll be shocked, granted… but other than that I don’t know what to say. You plan on staying here, right?” She continued to rock Madeline in her arms and making soothing sounds as the storm began to wind up outside. Finally, she looked at Clay again and handed Maddy off to him, deciding perhaps it was better for him to comfort the toddler instead of herself.

[Professor Adam Greene]

Why did she have to be so unselfish? Why couldn't Dixie just agree that he was a lowlife jerk who deserved nothing more than pain and suffering ten time worse than what he was going through already? Half of him wished she would just slap him on the face and leave. The other part of Adam realized that was the last thing he wanted and that he was being nothing more than a pathetic coward.

"You can forgive me?" he questioned in disbelief, stopping short of adding "it's not possible for you to forgive me." Again, Dixie continued with the idea that it wasn't all his fault when he couldn't stop believing that it really was. He tried to speak- to tell her again that she deserved better than him, that he was holding her back- but nothing more than muttered spurts of sound came out of his mouth. It was if he was struggling to decide whether his hatred for himself and his cowardly actions was stronger than the love for Dixie that he knew was buried deep within himself.

What do I want? The question brought more than a simple answer to Adam's mind as flashes of Dixie and Rae fought back and forth in a blur of visions. He closed his eyes tightly, the rain beginning to slow. The loud sound of waves of water splashing against the ground was replaced with the pitter-patter of light drops landing in the created puddles. The thunder was now distanced, sounding as a low rumble in the background. "I... I don't know what I want, Dixie. But... I know I don't want you gone." He knew his answer wasn't fair. He might as well have told her that he possibly wanted her; how terrible that sounded in his mind.

"It's just that... I'm in too deep Dixie. I've gotten myself in over my head, and I just need some time to figure everything out." Putting his hand up, signaling that she shouldn't say anymore, he began to back away from her. "I'm sorry. I really am." Inside, he feared what Dixie might be thinking. He didn't want to risk losing her again, but his head was so full of thoughts and his heart so full of mixed emotions that he could barely think straight. "I love you, Dix, but... but I can't do this now. I've gotta go..." Before she could speak, Adam disappeared, the rain still falling where he had stood only seconds ago.

*****

Reappearing in his dark and lonely home, Adam stood in his bedroom, still soaked from the rain. He stood for a few minutes before collapsing onto his bed. He hated himself for being so afraid, for running, for hurting Dixie. And at the same time, he hated himself for dragging Rae into everything. He wanted to believe that what he and Rae shared was only a result of the situation that had surrounded him at the time of Dixie's leaving, but that wasn't even fair to Rae. She did mean a lot to him, but he couldn't lie to himself any longer when he tried telling himself that he stopped having feelings for Dixie when she went to Paris.

In his frustration, Adam stood from his bed and walked over to the window, tears falling from his eyes. He starred out at the dark grey sky and then looked down at the window sill. Standing in between the few pictures that decorated his room was the statue that Dixie had given him for Christmas. For the longest time it was the only connection he had left to Dixie. Sometimes he wished he could go back to that day and live it over again. Tears still falling, Adam picked up the glass statue and watched as the figures began moving and interacting. Harder and harder the tears fell and more frustration boiled inside of him until he couldn't stop himself. In one swift movement, he hurled the statue across the room. It shattered into millions of tiny glass pieces as Adam fell to the ground.

[Dixie Holden-Greene]

“You can forgive me?” he asked. Well. The idea was fairly obvious in Dixie’s mind. Of course she could forgive him. There wasn’t anything to forgive really. When you loved someone as much as Dixie loves Adam… all mistakes, all problems, all arguments… they don’t mean anything. They are completely stricken from memory the moment the happen because the love is stronger than anything else that could possibly happen. Of course, telling Adam this and thinking it were two completely different things and Dixie knew this and she had no intention of telling him if she didn’t know what his reaction would be. She could already feel him slipping away from her and that was killing her alone, although she was doing a fairly good job of keeping all of that under wraps. She appeared stronger than she was. But she figured she was being stronger than normal because Adam was being… fragile. And she felt like she needed to be able to hold them up… or else they’d both fall, crashing to the ground.

Adam sputtered out vowels and sounds, but no sentences or words. Finally, though, after a bit… he spoke again. Dixie nodded understandingly. He knew what he didn’t want, but he didn’t know what he wanted. She had been in that same predicament three months prior and she wasn’t going to pressure him into any decision because she knew that it would take awhile for him to come to a decision on his own of who he wanted. She would be understanding if he decided he want Rae, she would smile and tell him that she wished them the best, but deep (or perhaps not so deep) down she would be devastated. Because he would be choosing her best friend over her. And she loved him. Dixie didn’t even know if Rae loved him, too. She didn’t even know what Rae was feeling or how she felt toward him or if this was all just a game to her like most relationships had been. But Dixie didn’t want to know. She knew it would make things that much harder if he chose Rae over herself. Sometimes ignorance really was bliss.

He said that he was in too deep and that he needed time to figure everything out. He must have anticipated her need or desire to say something like ‘take all the time you need’ or something equal to that effect, because he put up his hand in a gesture for her to stay silent. Dixie just watched him as he backed away, wanting to reach out for him and hug him. She didn’t want to continue to feel this emptiness inside of her. She just wanted everything to be right again. Dixie didn’t want to lose the happiness that she had felt before she left even though she had thought she had lost it months ago; she really hadn’t, because then she had known that Adam had cared something for her.. whether it just be a crush or a strong like… or love. He had felt something. And now? As she watched him back away, she started to fear that perhaps he just didn’t feel anything for her anymore. Forget the memories that he had regained. Perhaps his feelings for her were just gone. She tried not to cry anymore because the rain had slowed down noticeably and she knew he would be able to tell. But she couldn’t help but feel like her heart was being wrenched in two. It was with his next words that Dixie took a deep breath. I love you, Dix… everything after that… was muted. She didn’t need to hear anymore. Those four words would be enough for her to hold onto while he thought things through. Dixie started to say something, but before the words could leave her mouth… he was gone and all that remained was rain.

She stood there and watched the spot he had just been in, hoping with a strong hope that he would come back. When he didn’t, Dixie closed her eyes and suddenly became painfully aware of how cold and wet she was. She crossed her arms over her chest and headed back toward the Daniels’ house. Wondering what she would tell Clay. As she reached the fence, she saw Dapper curled up underneath the awning, shivering. Dixie frowned and picked up the puppy, holding him close to her as she pushed open the door. Her tears continued to fall, but she wasn’t going to do anything about it. She could hear Clay and Devon in the kitchen, but she didn’t join them. She set Dapper down and pulled out her wand, drying herself off magically and then drying the puppy off as well. Dixie tucked her hair behind her ear and curled up on the couch, resting her chin on her arm and staring blankly at the wall. Everything was… worse than it had been. It killed her inside. Dixie closed her eyes and hid her face in the crook of her elbow.

And she cried.

[Clay Daniels]

Clay smiled when Devon finally understood the whole complexity of his situation. Her response seemed well enough, and it was a lot more accepted that it could have been. Devon was almost always accepting though, Clay knew that. He was happy to be able to tell her first out of everyone. Then, she did bring up the idea that he mightn't be the biological father. Frowning, Clay gave a simple shrug. "I know that there are tests that could tell us for sure, 3D... but can you blame me for just wanting to continue my life not knowing for sure? I mean, I love her like a daughter, so does it really matter if she's not really mine?" He knew Devon was only thinking logically, something that he had lately relied on Dixie for. This subtle realization led him to think momentarily that he had better soon find a mother figure for Maddy; someone who could not only mother her but keep him sane and logical as well.

"Biological or not, she's my daughter, and I'll treat her the same," he concluded with a knowing tone. Deep down he knew Devon would understand, and so he left it at that. It was his parents (of whom Devon so quickly reminded him) that might want more of an explanation or proof. Surely they too would come around to accept Maddy as part of the family once they saw how much she and Clay loved each other. Even if it took time, Clay was determined that love would be the only proof he needed to provide for them all.

Flinching slightly at the crack of thunder, Clay's eyes instantly darted to Maddy who began to whine. In natural motherly fashion, Devon attempted to appease the toddlers fear. Although she had been handling Maddy just fine, Devon passed her off to Clay just moments before the lights flickered and then went out completely. Clay let out a small grunt while looking through the darkness, only able to see the silhouette of his sister. While Maddy grabbed tightly around his neck, Clay fumbled through his pockets, producing his wand seconds later. "Lumos," he said through the blackness, instantly flooding the three of them with light. "Mom and dad keep any candles around here?" he asked, looking toward the fireplace that sat in the corner of the kitchen. He stepped with Maddy still in his arms to the mantle and sent a burst of flames shooting from the tip of his wand. They immediately ate up the dried wood that was sitting in the stone alcove, filling the room with warmth. "Or, that'll do, he said with a grin.

As the rain pounded for a few minutes, Clay sat down on the wooden floor with Devon and Maddy, they played with Buzzy as he told Devon some of the stories from his time in Paris. Together, the laughed and enjoyed the fire-lit company. Slowly, the storm died, and a the sound of the front door opening and closing caught Clay's attention. Only moments later, the pitter patter of canine feet alerted him to Dapper's presence in the house. "Dixie's back," he said with a smile, standing from the floor and waiting for her to join them in the kitchen. She didn't come though, and Clay waited for a few moments before heading off in search of her.

"Dix!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the large house. "Dix, are you..." he continued, stopping when he saw her curled up on the couch in the sitting room. She was surrounded by darkness, only visible by the haze of light that reached her from his wand that he was using as a guide. Lowering the tip of his wand and extinguishing the light, he hurried over to the couch, worried when he saw that she was crying beneath her arm which hid her face. "Hey," he soothed, "what's wrong?"

[Dixie Holden-Greene]

Dixie hadn’t realized that the lights were out when she had entered the house. Her thoughts had been elsewhere, so it wasn’t terribly surprising to find that she hadn’t noticed much of her surroundings. She was lucky to have made it to the couch in time to sink into it and wallow in her misery. Her heart was broken in two, and although she had been extremely strong out there while she was talking to Adam, Dixie had to admit that it was pretty much a charade. Dixie wasn’t ever really that strong. She had changed and grown as a human being, yes, but she was still fragile and weak as ever. This was evident as she hid her face and cried in the sitting room. She didn’t want to burden Clay or Devon with her problems so she hadn’t made her presence known when she had returned. Dapper had run off into the kitchen, no doubt, to get to Clay and Dixie vaguely wondered why she had dried him off. It wasn’t like she was really thinking about it. Perhaps she just wanted something to do to erase the rain. The rain that started to fall in her heart as it had started to fall around her outside. Dixie bit her lip as she tried to control the flow of tears from her eyes, although she knew that perhaps it was just better to get all of her tears out at once and not being crying over it for weeks. She had to have her head on straight in the coming weeks because she was going to have to look for a flat.

Clay was shouting her name through the house, and Dixie had half the mind to tell him she was right in front of him; cloaked by the darkness. However, she couldn’t speak. She just continued to cry quietly, even when she felt the beam of light from his wand fall on her. Dixie hadn’t ever shown Clay the side of her. She, at this particular moment, couldn’t even remember what she had told him about Adam except that she had left him. Her mind was foggy and she didn’t know how to answer his question, where to begin. Dixie slowly looked up at Clay and wiped at her falling tears with a shaking hand. She looked at Clay as her lip quivered and then she looked back down again. Paris seemed so far away now. She found herself wanting to just run back to it and stay there. Be the way she was while there, but she knew that she had to be done running. She had to wait it out. Be strong. Be…everything that Dixie Holden had never been able to be before. She took in a deep and lengthy breath before saying, “Adam was here…I… I don’t know how he knew we were going to be here, but he did. I ran into him, well Dapper did really, down the street a ways. And… we talked and…” Dixie groaned. This day had… just taken a huge turn for the worst.

She closed her eyes and moved so she was sitting with her back against the couch instead of leaning on the arm of it as Devon entered with Maddy in her arms, “What’s going on? Are you alright, Dixie?” She set Maddy on the floor with Buzzy and then lit the fireplace that was in the sitting room as well as the one that was in the kitchen. Dixie opened her eyes and looked at the girl who had told her about Clay and Paris. She looked at the girl who had helped her make her final decision of running. She looked at her, and she started to feel a bit of resentment but she fought it down. It wasn’t Devon’s fault that Adam showed up, was it? No, it couldn’t be. That was just not sensible. Dixie wiped at her eyes and took another deep breath, “Adam was here.” Devon stopped playing with Maddy to look at Clay and then at Dixie again. “Oh… I…” She looked down at the floor and Dixie narrowed her eyebrows before shaking her head and looking at Clay again, “He’s with my best friend, well… she was my best friend. She won’t be after this. It’s not… It’s not wrong….but it still hurts, you know? I was just… I was foolish I suppose to expect to come back and find that either he hadn’t regained any of his memories or that he had and he realized he really….” Dixie trailed off and looked at her hands. She was talking aloud, not really even talking to the two, just to herself.

[Clay Daniels]

Clay was silent. He didn't know what he could say, really, to help make Dixie feel better. He only knew the situation from the surface, and he couldn't begin to image what Dixie might really be going through. He was there for her though. Putting his arm around her back, Clay sat beside her on the couch. Maybe just his presence would be enough to help her cope. He wondered what she was really thinking though. Obviously her reunion with Adam wasn't a good one. Before Dixie explained the situation in full, Devon entered, along with Madeline.

The situation only seemed more awkward as Devon questioned what was wrong. Dixie spilled though, explaining that Adam had apparently been seeing Dixie's best friend... ex-best friend. That was never a good thing, Clay concluded. In mid sentence, Dixie trailed off. Clay could see the pain in her blank stare. She was dwelling on it, and Clay also could see that it wasn't what Dixie needed at this moment. He didn't know how to help her though, and felt like he should be able to do something.

"Hey... the rain stopped," he said, changing the subject somewhat abruptly. Dixie didn't need to spend the night thinking about it though. She deserved to be free from it. It wasn't fair that after trying to escape it in Paris, she had to confront whatever problems she had left behind during her trip. "We could try that new cafe down the road," he suggested, seeing that his parents weren't home yet, and they probably wouldn't mind. Chances were they might even be out longer than what it would take for himself, Dixie, Devon, and Maddy to get a bit to eat anyways. "Let's go get some food," he finally said, taking Dixie's hand and pulling her to her feet.

((We can end this here, unless you want to reply. I just figured that we might as well move on since we already have other future things happening for this plot. )